Forging Bonds
by PenName311
Summary: The series failed to offer a satisfying amount of information about Kate and Neal. We know Neal is hopelessly in love with Kate for the majority of Seasons 1 and 2, but never really get a true sense of why. I'm working on creating a piece about their relationship- told through past and present.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Please be advised that I have added more to this introduction since originally posting on 11/27. I'm hoping to a weave a narrative of Neal and Kate if they were able to be together in the present (you know, without the minor setback of the plane explosion). I am working as I go, and look forward to your feedback!**

_**PROLOGUE**_

Kate stood silently on the corner of Madison and 59th, a sea of yellow cabs and black town cars swirling behind her.

"Say something," Neal whispered.

Kate blinked, incapable of any reaction requiring words.

"Please, Kate."

"You've been lying this whole time," Kate squeaked, her tone conflicted between hurt and anger. "Everything you've said from the moment you conned your way into Adler's office has been a lie."

"That's not true," Neal countered.

"This," Kate said softly, gesturing between them, "Is a lie." "I didn't go to Chicago, for you- for Nick!" her words becoming heated. "Everything I've done since I've met you is not real." Kate lowered her eyes to the ground. "Nick's not real," she said, disappointment resonating with each word.

"I'm real," Neal offered. "I've lied about a lot of things, Kate, but to you, only my name."

"You lied about who you are!"

"Kate," Neal whispered, his blue eyes glittering in the Manhattan sun, "This is real."

"This," Kate gestured again, pointing first at Neal and then toward their former office building, "Is a Shakespearean tragedy."

Neal smiled. "A girl who likes the classics. We can make this work," he offered, his grin widening. "We can be a team. Neal and Kate."

Kate couldn't help but allow her lips to curl into a grin. "Neal Caffrey," she smiled, extending her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."

...

"Oh jeez," Peter said, exasperated. Rolling his head uncomfortably above his shoulders, Peter focused his eyes on Neal. "I know that look."

"Huh?" Neal breathed, startled from his daydream.

"You tend to grin like an idiot when you think about Kate," Peter explained. "You gotta stop living in the past, Neal. If Kate wants back in your life, she knows where to find you." Peter grinned. "If you want, I can send a carrier pigeon with your coordinates right now."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you what is and isn't misappropriation of FBI resources," Neal quipped, "But in case you were on the fence, carrier pigeon probably falls into the latter— but if you need one, I know a guy."

"Do I want to know— you know what?" Peter asked shaking his head, "Don't tell me."

...

"June is lovely," Kate smiles, mentally scanning Neal's apartment in the hopes of finding it free of any paper flowers. Kate's eyes move from the bookshelf to the terrace. "This is quite the Poet's Garret you have here."

Neal pauses, a boyish smile creeping across his face. "To a better life," he grins, raising his beer toward Kate.

"The Neal Caffrey I knew had a much more refined palette."

"The Neal Caffrey you knew kept a safe distance from Peter Burke- a distance that generally did not include frequent home visits and surprises in my refrigerator."

"The Neal Caffrey I knew wore considerably less jewelry," Kate countered, pointing towards Neal's anklet.

A pang of guilt shot through Kate. Of course Neal wasn't always on the FBI's short leash- she effectively strapped that band around Neal's ankle. She disappeared- twice- and now Neal was subject to Peter's invisible fencing.

"It's not your fault, Kate." Neal said softly, interrupting her thoughts.

"You were searching for me," she whispered. "If the FBI hadn't tipped you off-"

"If the FBI hadn't tipped me off I would have never found you," Neal finished.

"I don't think Peter likes me very much," Kate offered, unsure of what to say next.

"You pulled a gun on him, Kate." Neal pulled his beer bottle to his lips and smiled. "Plus I think he's not used to sharing me."

"Oh really?" Kate challenged, raising an eyebrow at Neal.

"Really," Neal stated matter-of-factly.

...

"I don't trust her, Elizabeth," Peter spurts, twisting a corkscrew into a bottle of red wine with more force than necessary. Distracted, he takes a glass from his wife. "Every time I think I'm getting through to Neal something, or someone, pops up and he goes right back to toying with throwing it all away."

"Peter, you just have to trust him," Elizabeth sighs. Her husband had become uncharacteristically temperamental since teaming up with Neal. When Peter and Neal were away from the office, Elizabeth was left to moderate their middle school antics.

"I can't," Peter said defeated, firmly planting his glass on the table for emphasis. "Not with her in the picture."

"You've got Neal's ankle, and Kate gets the rest of him."

"Whoever negotiated those terms is a terrible divorce attorney," Peter stated, walking over to the TV. "You and I," Peter indicated, waiving a hand towards his wife, "Are in it for the long haul. I want more than your ankle." Peter smiled, pushing in the power button on the TV, "I'm going to need this too," He grinned, pointing to the illuminated screen.


	2. Chapter 2

_***12/1 NEW NOTE* Here's a little bit more...I'm having a lot of fun writing, and will continue to post whatever I am able to write each day- don't forget to leave feedback!  
**_

Neal placed a paper coffee cup on Peter's desk. It had been nearly a month since Kate had come back, and Peter was beginning to sulk less often. "Grande Dark Roast Black. You're welcome," Neal said, tapping his fingers on Peter's desk.

"This is from the machine?" Peter eyed Neal cautiously.

"This is from the Starbucks across the street," Neal corrected. "This is coffee for humans."

"Starbucks intimidates me."

"Peter Burke is intimidated by college kids peddling faux-Italian blends in green aprons?" Neal laughed. "Starbucks is the ultimate con— I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of it first."

"Admiration," Peter states, peering up from his crossword.

"Admiration?"

"Yeah— you respect their con so you shell out $4.25 for their product."

"Who says I paid for this?" Neal grins. "You've seen my smile, haven't you?"

"Don't," Peter warns, "I don't need to know." Peter throws his paper down on the far corner of his desk and slides a folder towards Neal. "It's a mob case."

"Then why isn't Organized Crime on this one?"

"It appears even people from Staten Island enjoy fine Italian art," Peter mocks, pulling his phone from his suit jacket. "It's Elle."

"Well by all means, take her call and don't even drink the delicious overpriced coffee I brought you—I'm hurt Peter, really hurt." Neal shifted in his seat opposite Peter. Elizabeth and Peter were solid. Being around them made Neal ache for Kate. Now Kate was here— really here— she and June were enjoying Page 6 and omelets on the terrace earlier this morning.

"Is this what it's going to be like from now on?" Peter rolled his eyes. "I leave you alone for a second and you're mind's wandering off in some fantasy world where you and Kate are eating some sort of fancy hors d'oeuvre I can't pronounce in a fictional villa somewhere— I bet it's tapenade," Peter rambles, sifting through papers on his desk. "Elizabeth is trying this new Mediterranean caterer and she has me eating tapenade day and night. What is it even?" Peter continues. "Is it mushy olives? Tell me it's mushy olives."

"Peter, it's not a fantasy. Kate's here. For good."

"But seriously, Neal, I cannot eat another tiny piece of bread full of tapenade until I know what it is."

_..._

Kate lifted her head from the $2 paperback she had purchased on the street near Riverside Park earlier that day. Wine in hand, she had wasted away the afternoon lost in the aimless adventures of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarity. Kate had always imagined herself as Sal, the artful narrator of her exploits in art, culture and forgery with Neal as her Dean. The thought made her eyes light up against the dim lighting that surrounded the kitchen table.

"I could get used to this," Neal smiled, eying Kate from the doorway.

"Me too." Kate folded the top corner of her page and looked up at Neal. "Long day at the office?" she smirked.

Neal had spent a considerable amount of time looking for Kate; his first attempt ending in federal prison. The search had always been his top priority— now that she was finally back in his life, Neal was unsure of the next move. Neal hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "About that," he began, "My job description is a little different than it was four years ago."

"I know that."

"I have a great life here." Neal pulled a chair from the table.

"I know that," Kate said again.

"We can start over," Neal offered, sitting down to face Kate. He placed his hands on the table and lowered his eyes to meet Kate's. "We can have the life we've always wanted— and we can have it without running."

"I know that." Kate paused. "We had a pretty good time though."

"Wouldn't do anything different." Neal shook his head. Kate was back for good. "I'm starving," Neal exaggerated, throwing his head back for emphasis. "You were here the whole day and you didn't even think to make dinner?"  
"I got caught up with Kerouac," Kate explained, pointing toward the book in front of her.

Neal grinned as he reached across the table for Kate's hand. "Well, far be it from me to keep you away from Jack."

"It's a classic."

_..._

Kate ran her finger down Neal's back, tracing the length of his spine as he slept. It had been years since she and Neal shared a bed, an apartment, wine- too much wine. She pushed her palm against her forehead. _Yes, definitely too much wine_, she winced.

Neal shifted his weight from under the sheets, rolling on his side to face Kate. "Wow," he mouthed, his eyes wide.

"That bit's getting old, Caffrey."

"A bit? I have a bit?" Neal arched his eyebrow.

"Are you going to say 'wow' every time we sleep together?" Kate demanded playfully.

"Maybe." Neal reached forward, pushing Kate's hair away from her face. "Let's do it again and find out."

"Neal," Kate giggled, "You're insatiable!"

"That's my line, Ms. Moreau."

"I believe that line belongs to a Nick Halden," Kate corrected. Her mind instantly recalled that night in Neal's apartment— Nick's apartment, or so she thought at the time. The wine, the pizza, the wine, the bed, the wine, the sheets, a hat, and a blue-eyed girl so incredibly infatuated she could barely think straight. And then, of course, there was the warm morning sunlight, the cold pizza, and a tiny television set that buzzed with the news that everything they worked for had disappeared.

Kate pressed her head against Neal's chest. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly. "I'm so sorry I ran."


	3. Chapter 3

_**12/1 Author's Note: Finally have some direction for this story. Now that Chapter 2 is complete, I hope I get the chance to finish and upload Chapter 3 this weekend (or at least a teaser)- As always, I appreciate your reviews and messages :) **_


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